[neoonwheels]

I guess there is another interesting point in Palio (At least this is what I believe is present as told by one of the technicians), in case of crash the steering column assembly or something is dropped to take the collision and not to transfer the impact to the occupants. I am not too sure about this though.

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by neoonwheels

I guess there is another interesting point in Palio (At least this is what I believe is present as told by one of the technicians), in case of crash the steering column assembly or something is dropped to take the collision and not to transfer the impact to the occupants. I am not too sure about this though.

Its called a collapsible steering. Seen on many cars today, even the Alto

[akhilesh51]

A 7 page long thread on "Innovation at Minimum costs" and not a single mention of Tata Nano.

That car is a shining example of all that and more, like:

1. Washer nozzle on wiper itself.
2. Air vents for Rear mounted engine. They don't just serve a mechanical/technical purpose but also add to aesthetics.
3. Spare wheel also acts as a collision damage prevention mechanism.
4. Smallest car on the road yet not the least spacious.
5. Fuel cut-off above the speeds of 105 kmph. It is a massive safety feaure since any car of this size (800, Alto, Spark, et al), high speeds are disasters in waiting. It is also a performance feature (of sorts!) since driver is provided uniform acceleration and power upto this speed and car does not seem to just die before reaching top speed.
6. The steering wheel column is so designed that it can be used on both RHD cars and LHD cars (for sales in foreign market).

The list is very long... and personally I have been in awe with the level of engineering and innovation that has made this little wonder a reality.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by akhilesh51

....3. Spare wheel also acts as a collision damage prevention mechanism...

Interesting point! I didn't know that one.

Heres a thread along the same lines about the Nano :
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...parts-bin.html

cya
R

[blackasta]

well my old mazda 626 had an unique central A/C vent, that could swing the louvers from side to side ! There was also a swing switch on top to start and stop the swing. I did not see this feature in any other car i have driven.

Its the small switch between the two central A/C vents, and the driver side central vent swings !
The picture is from the internet.

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by akhilesh51

A 7 page long thread on "Innovation at Minimum costs" and not a single mention of Tata Nano.

That car is a shining example of all that and more, like:

1. Washer nozzle on wiper itself.
2. Air vents for Rear mounted engine. They don't just serve a mechanical/technical purpose but also add to aesthetics.
3. Spare wheel also acts as a collision damage prevention mechanism.
4. Smallest car on the road yet not the least spacious.
5. Fuel cut-off above the speeds of 105 kmph. It is a massive safety feaure since any car of this size (800, Alto, Spark, et al), high speeds are disasters in waiting. It is also a performance feature (of sorts!) since driver is provided uniform acceleration and power upto this speed and car does not seem to just die before reaching top speed.
6. The steering wheel column is so designed that it can be used on both RHD cars and LHD cars (for sales in foreign market).

The list is very long... and personally I have been in awe with the level of engineering and innovation that has made this little wonder a reality.

Absolutely agree except that Point 1 has been there on TATA 407 much earlier than Nano

[akhilesh51]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

Absolutely agree except that Point 1 has been there on TATA 407 much earlier than Nano

I didn't know that ! But, then again TATA 407 is not the usual car thought to be filled with innovations.

[theMAG]

In India and other non-discerning developing markets, manufacturers adopt a "water settling at the lowest level" approach. They will not give anything that doesnt contribute towards a two-digit mileage figure. That attitude is changing, but very slowly.

[vrprabhu]

Think architect, vipul singh, DRC et al have covered all the features on Palio - find it strange there aren't many posts from other car owners of a single model other than Palio!

I think the auto dimming and switching off of the cabin light on locking the car in Palio is also a good feature.

The eccentric rail and rotary knobs for seat back adjustment are no longer available in my Palio (NV model)

Also, the feature of the fan working to cool the engine / coolant down after long drives a safety measure - gives me comfort that the car is pretty much aware of its state of affairs!

(never saw the temp gauge beyond half way mark - even after continous driving of 550 kms on a single day (6 am to 8 pm) with full load and AC on in a single day! - any gizmo takes care of this?)

But what I would like on Palio are these two enhancements(!) -

1. Auto locking of the doors once the car is moving and attains a certain speed - saw it on a Corolla

2. One touch window down features - seen it plenty of cars - mostly C segment

3. Window stops winding upwards if it encounters an obstruction - don't remember which car had it.

[straightdrive]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

........3. Window stops winding upwards if it encounters an obstruction - don't remember which car had it.

I know the Fabia has it. Don't know which other cars have it.

[predatorwheelz]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

find it strange there aren't many posts from other car owners of a single model other than Palio!

Maybe only passionate people buy Palios!

Jokes apart, your comment is not entirely correct. I've started the thread with praise of the Verna, and comments have come in from owners of Tatas, Fords, Mahindras and even German exotica. Good to see that the thread has turned out the way I intended it to - a free sharing of best practices, without trumpeting about or slandering any one marque! Once again, thank you all.

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

The eccentric rail and rotary knobs for seat back adjustment are no longer available in my Palio (NV model)

Aha! So finally somebody agrees that the first batch of Palios indeed had eccentric rails, eh? Yipee!

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

2. One touch window down features - seen it plenty of cars - mostly C segment

3. Window stops winding upwards if it encounters an obstruction - don't remember which car had it.

Feature 2 is now present in almost all cars. Feature 3 is called "Anti-pinch" technology, as much trumpeted in Xylo ads.

[nipunkul]

Originally Posted by straightdrive

I know the Fabia has it. Don't know which other cars have it.

Fabia has all the three

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by predatorwheelz

Unlikely. My other car is an Indica DLS. It comes with normal ORVMS and they dont go forward. I've broken the casing once after an irate biker brushed against it in peak traffic.

I dont think rpmx1000's 2006 DLG or your 2005 DLS has that feature as stock, but the 2007 and later indica ORVM's do fold forward. At least mine does.
And I fitted the indigo LX version which has a stainless steel strip which makes it even more durable

One thing I love about the indica is that it has provisions to install speakers on both the dash and the door, and is pre wired for both. Even the indica vista has it. Great in terms of icing - you get a lot more options (including 3 ways !)

Did you know that all 2007 and later indicas came with fully functional rear fog lamps ? (though they were not advertised)

Since the lamp cluster is common for all versions, You cant avoid adding the fog lamps. but in the DLS/DLE, they are not hooked up. But everthing else is in place, right upto the bulb.

And from somewhere in the mid 2006 onwards, all indicas started to come with the indigo Airbox, so you can swap out the smaller indica air filter with a bigger indigo/Indica turbo air filter, and get better airflow for 100 rs or so, and no K&N filter

[spadival]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

One thing I liked in the 5 series was the way in which the steering would automatically move to the highest position when the car was switched off, thus making it easier for the driver to get out, and when the car was switched on, the steering again went back to the level it was on earlier. This isn't there on the E class and other such cars and I found it pretty neat.

Similarly in VW Passat, the powered seats remain powered even without ignition being on. So if the seat is too forward, you can still adjust it without getting in or putting the key in.

Then there are the automatics that do not roll back even on the steep inclines.. Hill hold feature - found on most high end cars.

[thermalpaste]

The W124's (E-class) rear headrests would automatically fold down when the reverse gear was engaged.

I'd rate the Citroen DS a 10 on a scale of 1 - 10 (10 being highest) because:
- It was the first car to feature a hydro-pneumatic self-leveling suspension (way before the Pullman 600)
- Directional headlights were connected to the steering column and would focus on the road curvature.
- The engine was located behind the front wheels - very BMWish.

The Merc Pullman 600 used hydraulics to even operate the power windows!